JUST three months ago little Charlotte Nott’s parents feared the worst after she was struck down with an aggressive form of meningitis.

But now, thanks to the care of Oxford doctors, the three-year-old who lost all four of her lower limbs is back to her old games again at her home in Horspath.

And one of the first things on her mind was showing her mother Jenny Daniels how much she loves her by making her a play dough heart.

Miss Daniels said: “We’re amazed how quickly she has adapted... she’s amazing.”

The Oxford Mail first reported Charlotte’s story in January, after Miss Daniels contacted the newspaper to say a public thank you to the medical staff who battled around the clock to try to save her life.

Miss Daniels, 29, said her daughter was playing with her favourite toys again soon after returning home.

Charlotte first became ill on December 10 last year.

Miss Daniels first noticed her daughter was unwell when she could not wake her up and discovered a rash on her chest.

She called paramedics after carrying out the ‘glass test’, where a glass is applied to the rash to see if it disappears under pressure.

Doctors in the intensive care unit of Oxford’s John Radcliffe Hospital battled to stop the disease from spreading, but after five days Charlotte’s fingers and toes had turned black and she was suffering from multiple organ failure.

Later doctors decided that her arms must be removed below the elbows and her legs amputated below the knees to halt the disease.

Charlotte returned home on January 21 and since then has been getting used to life without her limbs.

As well as learning how to crawl, she has also taught herself to draw with her mouth and to play her favourite Dora the Explorer computer game.

Miss Daniels is currently off work, along with her partner Alex Nott, to provide 24-hour care for their daughter, added: “Sometimes her leg causes her a bit of trouble but she has just got on with it.

“We’re taking each day as it comes.

“Charlotte is a very determined little girl.

“We just can’t thank everyone at the hospital enough for everything they have done for Charlotte. She’s our little angel.”

  • Charlotte's friends at Horspath Nursery are hard at work helping to make sure she can come back to play with them as soon as possible.

The nursery in Blenheim Road is holding an auction to raise money to buy specialised play and sensory equipment for Charlotte.

Eirwen Parker, chairman of the Pre-School Nursery, said: “Her parents would like Charlotte to lead as normal a life as possible in the future and really want her to return to Horspath Nursery.

“She was so happy here before she was taken ill and made lots of lovely friends. To enable Charlotte to return to the nursery we will need to fundraise for some specialist equipment to make her time with us as comfortable and at the same time as fun as possible.”

An Auction for Charlotte will be held on Friday, April 8, at Horspath village hall, in Oxford Road, from 8pm.

If anyone would like to donate lots for the sale the nursery has set up a dedicated email address at auctionforcharlotte@hotmail.co.uk.

Email details of the item and include contact details.